Chained By Fate
by giraffeduelist
Summary: All Might forced to strike a deal with his nemesis that put them both under house arrest for two weeks. While struggling not to kill each other, the two enemies have to look past their hatred to avoid a greater evil taking over. Only M to be safe and for blood and other such violent things. this is scary guys.
1. Chapter 1

"Two weeks in house arrest chained to the world's most dangerous villain."

It was the worst idea any member of the police department could've thought of. Forcing a retired pro hero to be under 336 hours with his nemesis. It was a plan of torture. Toshinori wasn't quite sure how the situation could've gotten worse, but he was sure it would at some point.

All For One made an offer, they said. He wanted two weeks with All Might and would give valuable information about the league of villains to the entire department. Two weeks with extreme quirk suppressing head implants, rendering the villain practically quirkless. Two weeks in Toshinori's house, neither allowed to leave or the deal was off. The only reason Toshinori didn't actively run was for one reason. That being that he knew how much the world needed that information. His fight against All For One would've meant next to nothing without it. Shigaraki could end up being the next All For One and would likely continue the tradition of destruction that typically followed The Symbol of Evil.

"Toshi, just two weeks and you'll be able to rest easy for the rest of your retirement. All of UA could be home free from these villain attacks and Izuku won't have a nemisis to fight against. Just two weeks and you'll achieve more than you ever dreamed to." Naomasa's praise would've helped Toshinori's soar feeling, had he not been reminded of just how long this would be. How was he going to survive this?

All For One had already given them the information they needed to access the truly valuable secrets. He set up a series of documents and emails explaining all they needed. However, it could only be opened once the two weeks were up. Until then, it would remain locked, as was their agreement. Nothing could come too easy.

"We'll drop off groceries next Monday but I doubt the two of you will really eat much. All For One has everything he needs to survive with you and you have all the medications you need. Remember, punch him and you're both arrested." Naomasa gave him a stern look, knowing how difficult it would be to not hurt the villain. Toshinori let out a defeated sigh but nodded.

"Just pray to whatever deity you believe in that I won't lose my sanity before a day has passed." He muttered.

"You'll be fine. Just ignore him if you need." the detective made his way down the porch, having already secured the sensors and braces around each of the victim's legs. "Just like you said, this is your last service to humanity."

The door closed without Toshinori noticing. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He used to get nightmares as a young hero about All For One. How he murdered his master in front of his eyes. How he was hunting him down. How he destroyed everything his master loved and would likely do the same to him. And now he had to live with the disgusting villain. Maybe he can take a few sleeping pills and hope a meteor hits the house before he wakes up.

"What a lovely home. I would expect a pent house from someone like you." His voice alone made Toshinori want to vomit.

His house was an average to a smaller size. He lived in a very quiet neighborhood on the edge of Musutafu and didn't care to decorate anything beyond randomly placed bottles of painkillers and handkerchiefs to cough into. The carpet was a darker grey that held quite a few blood stains, but All For One wouldn't see those. Couldn't, he should say. The walls were a generic cream color with a few dark smudges from sever events that Toshinori could no longer remember. There was a wide wall separating the dinning room from the kitchen that made late night tea trips that little bit more difficult. The house at large had been redesigned some time after his fight against All For One to fit such a tall person. the door knob was nearly to All For One's chest.

"The wall paper is a bit tacky, don't you think? Honestly, are you an old woman under those bones?" there was a subtle laugh at the end of his comment.

This is your last service to humanity, Toshinori reminded himself. He didn't bother looking like he enjoyed it though. He wasn't sure if he even had the energy to smile. He usually didn't these days. "Just dump your junk in the guest bedroom and stay there." the not-so-hidden bite in his words made him feel a little better. But only a little.

"And here I thought we'd share a room like an old married couple. A shame your insecurities had to get in the way of that." All For One finally started moving away from him and down the hall to the right. Toshinori wondered if he could magically move the guest room to the opposite end of the house instead of just across the hall. The blond followed him all the way there, making sure All For One didn't run into anything. Thankfully he found it without help. A bit surprising for a blind man, but he didn't dwell on that.

"You really are an old hag. Flower sheets?" Toshinori was very thankful he had punched out the villain's eyes years before. Just to save himself from the looks he'd receive. He vaguely wondered if the villain had a really good guess. There was no way he could see the design.

"A neighbor gave it to me. Judge her taste all you want, I think it suits you." The hero left the hall into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. The other followed him like a lost child and even had the nerve to touch his cabinets. Toshinori quietly pleaded for the water to boil faster.

"What kinds of tea do you like?" The parasite rummaged through his many boxes of tea and left each cabinet he looked through open. He seemed to have found something he liked because the rummaging stopped and he set it down next to Toshinori's waiting tea bag.

Toshinori wasn't sure what he heard since the villain muttered it but it caused a shiver to pass through the hero's bones. He was too close. slamming his still empty mug onto the counter, the retired hero glared at the shorter man. Once he had eye contact -or whatever was close enough to it considering they were missing- he set a serious tone, not too far from what a parent would use while scolding a child. Or dog.

"Alright, in order for either of us to go through this hell without going insane, we need some rules."

All For One held a twisted amusement in his expression. "A perfect idea."

The whistle of the kettle stopped the conversation. Both pouring a generous amount of steaming water into a decorated mug before sitting down. All For One sat on the opposite side of the small table. good.

"We both get three rules." Toshinori started. "First rule, you can't go into my room for anything."

"Don't want me catching you mas-"

"I don't need you digging your filthy hands through my stuff." The blond interrupted.

"Fine. then you aren't allowed to touch any of my equipment unless there's a dire situation."

Toshinori felt like cursing at that one. "Fine. second, you can't talk about, directly or indirectly, about Nana or my successor." That should save him some conflict.

"You ask so much, but I guess that's reasonable. You cannot touch me for longer than a minute, not that you could really harm me in the state you're in." Toshi ignored the insult.

"Third, you cannot talk to anyone besides me. Not the mailman, neighbors, or anyone else." that last rule should keep everyone else from suffering.

"Oh, I see. You want me all to yourself." Toshinori nearly gagged. "Fine by me. Then my last rule shall be...every time you curse, I get to pinch you." The villain's smug tone made Toshinori pause.

"Wha-Why?" He tilted his head to the ride subconsciously. He knew that he tended to curse in tense situations and this one would definitely bring out a lot.

"Just to make your life harder. And to give me a pass on pinching you through the week."

"Fine. all rules will now be set. No changing them."

All For One offered his hand and Toshinori hesitated before shaking it. He washed his hands the moment the suited man was out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Even with the rules, the first day was hell on earth. Toshinori found that All For One had moved every chair about two or three centimeters to the left, causing him to hit his toe on every single one of them. All For One never missed a single curse either. They weren't nice pinches, like the kind an angry older sibling would give after losing an argument. The kind of pinch that left your skin red and burning after.

Toshinori also noticed that the villain kept his word. He stayed outside of the door frame when he needed the hero's attention-mostly just to bother him-and never once spoke the name of his master or young Midoriya.

He did answer the door almost every time, however. He would open the door, smile his disgusting smile as the poor guest gasped in shot at his face but never answered a single question. After a few minutes he would leave the door and stare at the retired hero from his bedroom door frame until Toshi got up. It was a frustrating ordeal, but it could have been worse, right? At least his neighbors weren't dead.

"All Might, there seems to be a lovely woman waiting for you ever so patiently. Wouldn't it be rude for her beloved Symbol of Peace to leave her there?"

Toshinori got up with a sigh and shut the door on his way out. He assumed it was the older woman who moved in across the street just last year. She usually liked to bring over cookies or to invite him over for tea. He'd have to decline the latter, since he was in house arrest. The blond was very surprised to see Inko Midorya standing outside, looking a bit more pale and worried then the last time he saw her. Maybe he should stop All For One from answering the door. "Hello, Ms. Midoriya! I apologize for not coming sooner. What can I do for you today?" He tried to keep the frustration out of his voice. It wasn't her fault All For One was a pest.

"Um...you missed our last parent-teacher meeting and I got worried..." She tucked her hair behind her ear and gripped her purse a bit tighter.

"Oh! I deeply apologize! Here, come in! Make yourself at home!" He rambled as she slowly walked inside. He guided her to the living room couch and sat next to her. "I'll under house arrest for the next two weeks for an...investigation? It's police business, but that's no excuse for me to not have informed you earlier. I apologize."

"It's fine. You're a busy person." She gave him a smile for reassurance, but it didn't lighten the guilt.

"I won't be teaching so I doubt we will need to arrange a meeting next week." He scratched at his neck, trying not to think about how much time he'd waste under house arrest.

"I completely understand. Um...could we discuss anything for this week? I'm sorry, I'm just worried for Izuku. He forgets to text me sometimes and, well...you know me."

"Of course! I can update you now, if you'd like!"

"That would be perfect!"

Midway through the meeting, the blond got up to get the many reports on Izuku's grades from his room. Once he returned to the living room, he saw that All For One had taken his spot next to his successor's mother. Neither was talking. The suited man simply smiled at her and Inko tried desperately to get as far away from him as possible without leaving the couch all together.

"What are you doing?!" Toshi marched back to the couch.

"She really is a lovely woman, now isn't she?" the retired hero wanted to gag, but he had to save his guest first.

"Yes, now get out." Surprisingly, the villain did as told, getting up from the couch and quietly walking to his room. The smug grin never left his face. "I'm really sorry about that." how could he begin to apologize for leaving an innocent woman alone with that disease.

"That was...the villain who…" Inko was shaking at this point.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Midoriya. It's a complicated situation that no one is happy to be in."

"But...he can just-"

"We have our heaviest quirk suppressors on him. He won't do anything to anyone. I promise on my life." His face was very serious.

"If...alright."

The rest of the meeting was awkward and Inko was still pale when she left. Toshinori really had to keep All For One from answering the door.

…

That first night, Toshinori was coughing blood every few minutes. He was used to waking up almost choking on the blood in his throat but it only happened a few times a night. Coughing and gagging on blood as consistently as he was that night wasn't good, but he didn't call Recovery Girl. He'd been through this cycle for six years now and knew that no doctor could help. It was better not to give her a heart attack as well. At the very least, he hoped his coughing didn't keep All For One awake. He would love to see the villain tired and grumpy the next morning, but that grumpiness would only make Toshinori's day worse. The man was outrageously annoying as it was.

The hero started vomiting blood around 4 in the morning. His throat was tight and sore but he had already taken blood thinners. There was nothing he could do but suffer through the night and hope it went away by morning.

Once he was able to stand for longer than five seconds, he wobbled into the kitchen for tea. He was surprised to find All For One already sitting at the table, eating what he assumed was food, but it was hard to tell by the texture.

"Surprised to see me? You can thank your loud gagging for that." All For One wasn't mocking him, which was odd for the villain but appreciated no less.

The hero had to lean against the counter to avoid falling, but managed to start boiling some water. He responded to the villain with a wet cough. He should probably keep a cloth in hand tonight. He don't want to lose another white shirt.

"This isn't a nightly thing, is it?" All For One had turned around in his seat, staring at Toshinori with his nonexistent eyes.

"No. Just tonight." He rasped. He'd assumed the villain knew a fair amount about the effects his injuries had.

"Do you eat? Or is your diet strictly just tea?" If Toshinori didn't know better, he'd think the villain was genuinely curious. But he did, so he took the question at an insult but didn't retort back. He didn't have the energy.

"I eat, just not much. While we're on the topic, what exactly are you eating?" if he'd have to wash the dish later, he might as well know what was in it.

"Noodles." he said it as if it were obvious.

"Noodles? Did you grind them into some kind of noodle paste?"

"Exactly. You destroyed my esophagus, so now I have to eat soups and pastes only. Fun, isn't it?"

Toshinori didn't answer. He never really thought about the damage done to All For One. He only focused on getting rid of his evil form the planet. It was strange hearing about the damage he'd caused with his own hands. Not unlike how he felt when Naomasa would tell him the amount of money used to rebuild the areas he destroyed, whether his own fault or a villain's. It made his head hurt and the smile he wore a little less bright. Now, he didn't have to worry about smiling.

The blonde took his cup of tea back to his room. He didn't want to stay with All For One longer than he had to.

…

Apparently, All For One was a fan of movies too. He was also the kind of person who never shut up while watching them. The most annoying people really.

Toshinori decided to put on Star Wars as white noise while he finished the grading from ages ago. It wasn't much and didn't take too much brain power but he always seemed to think best while something was happening around him. Action movies were the best for that. All For One stopped mid step, turned to the TV and sat down a bit too close to the blonde. He looked at the screen as if he could see the images, a thing he did often. "This is one of the best ones. I remember when this came out into theaters. It seems like only yesterday." he spoke in a strange tone, almost distant. Not quite talking to anyone.

"I was pretty young when it came out." Toshinori commented, remembering the posters of light sabers and Jedi heroes. It wasn't long after that that his mother left.

In those days, heroes were less popular. It was a running question of what a hero even was. Some heroes saved lives and cared entirely about those they saved, like Nana. Some heroes killed others and used their titles to get away with it. It was a confusing time, so most looked to TV shows and comic books for heroism. At least, Toshinori did.

All For One turned his head toward the retired hero. "Really? I thought you were older."

"well, I'm younger then you."

"I know that." he turned back to the TV. "I lose track of time sometimes, is all."

Toshinori didn't care to know how old the villain really was. Why focus on something so unimportant about such a terrible person?

"Technology really had changed over the past few hundred years, hasn't it?"

Toshinori tried to think of something to respond with, but he couldn't. why was he trying to have such casual conversation? It didn't quite make sense. Neither did the fact that...wait a minute. the villain wasn't wearing a suit. He was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans, like a normal human being. What? He couldn't help but stare, trying to comprehend All For One in casual attire. The connection was difficult to make. It was like seeing Gran Torino in skinny jeans. The thought made him shiver.

"Are you checking me out?" Toshinori's eyes darted back to the bald man's face. He was smirking. How could he possibly know where the hero was looking?!

Then his comment registered. "What?! No! I'm not! You're disgusting! I just...didn't think you wore anything beside suits." The blond was muttering by the end. He looked away with a bit of shame.

"Of course. Of course." he turned away again and they watched the rest of the movie in an awkward silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Akuma Satsujin, All For One, felt off ever since that first night. He felt bad. Morally bad. He wasn't sure why or how, but he did. He felt bad every time his annoying housemate coughed up blood or drank yet another cup of tea. He felt less bad after talking to the younger man about Star Wars, but that bad feeling become more intense, like a bubble was slowly growing in his stomach and no matter what he did, it wouldn't go away. It grew slightly every time All Might looked at him for a bit too long. He must have a staring issue.

The bubble kept him awake the night of their first day. It kept him from eating his mashed noodles, which wasn't a very appealing dish to start with. It grew significantly when he walked into the kitchen, looking to make himself some dinner before attempting to sleep, yet again. On his way in, he was hit with the most heavenly smell that had ever entered his ruined nostrils. "You're cooking?!" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

"I have to eat some time, don't I?" It was a blow directed at his intelligence, but the villain ignored it.

"Is that...chicken soup?" it sounded a lot less brilliant that he had meant, but his senses seemed to overpower him.

Akuma was a genius. He knew that. He wasn't controlled by his emotions like the hero he lived with, but after six years of mashed foods that barely held a taste, chicken broth was his definition of heaven.

"Yeah." the hero paused before continuing. "You can have some. I doubt I'll be able to eat much of this anyway."

Akuma could hear the clacking of bowls and then the smell came closer. He outstretched his hands just in time to grab the warm bowl of heavenly goodness. He slowly took it back to the table and sat. He heard the spoon drop onto the table next to him and he took it thankfully. He hadn't been this excited for anything since he was young. Once the first spoonful touched his tongue, he almost moaned. He wanted to melt onto the floor in a pile of human flesh and stay that way forever. His bliss continued with every spoonful until he no longer tasted the broth on his spoon. That's when he could hear All Might laughing. He was sure it was directed at him, but he didn't really care.

"I wish I had my phone! Who knew the might Symbol of Evil would like home cooking so much!" the hero's voice was a mixture of teasing and mocking.

Akuma was surprised to feel a damp rag get tossed toward him. Catching the cloth, he wiped his area and face. He jolted when a hand touched him on the shoulder in a manner that must have been an accident, but it caused the bubble inside to pop, along with his realization. He felt bad for the hero, for the condition he was in.

the blind man suddenly couldn't breathe. his throat closed and he was trapped in shock for a few seconds. He needed his mask. His lungs started to ache and he held his throat in an attempt to get air to pass through. Had he not known about the suppression devices implanted into his skull, he would've thought he had teleported himself to his room. That was impossible, of course. His quirk only pulled others to him, at least thus far. The world moved around him and the slight brush of vapor touched his cheek. What was going on? Where was he going?

Air started cycling again and he was too exhausted to care about the means in which his mask had been placed on his head. The exhaustion was hard to fight without eyes, letting him slip away easily.

...

He woke up again around 4 am.

His throat was beyond soar and he worried that each swallow would block his throat completely. If he had eyes, he would have enjoyed staring at the ceiling. He could only assume the color of All Might's guest room. He hadn't felt any pictures along the walls the first day he came and the walls felt like paint, not wallpaper. Although he couldn't see, he could still guess what was around him. His estimate at the ugly sheets was proven correct by All Might's reaction. The walls were likely plain white. It was almost surprising to see the so called Symbol of Peace with little to no decoration. He'd assumed the man bought his own merchandise and likely kept posters or action figures of himself. Wasn't the man supposed to be prideful and loud?

His jolted in his bed once his mind finally returned to the event of that evening. It confused him. How All Might, someone he knew would kill him if given the chance -and almost did exactly that, twice- would use what little strength he has left to carry the villain to his bed, at least that's what he assumed happened. All Might had used his bigger for to carry him to his bed and to place the breathing mask on this ruined face. It was a puzzle he admittedly hadn't thought about, considering the condition he still finds himself in, but now it made him wonder. When Akuma had the idea to spend two weeks with the blond hero, he had no ill intentions for him. He had never planned to harm the man from the beginning and hasn't as he's gone through it. He was honestly surprised when they agreed to his proposal.

The villain attempted to whisper to himself in the dark of his borrowed bedroom but his throat was raw, not letting a single word pass without a cough. The cough forced a few drops of blood from his esophagus, landing on the pillow under him. H should probably take his medication. Sitting up, Akuma grabbed at the orange bottle, poured out three and took them with a blissfully cold drink of water. He gave it thirty minutes before he tried to move from his position. He'd need some tea as well.

He carefully took the clear breathing mask from his mouth and the tube from his throat and walked slowly to the kitchen. He memorized the location of his favorite teas and the mugs. He set the water to boil and enjoyed the silence that filled the room. "At least All Might it enjoying some rest." he muttered to himself bitterly. As if on cue, a wet cough came from across the hall but it didn't help the villain's mood. There was no point in feeling relief in his house mate's pain. It really only added to his, given how grumpy the hero could get after a rough night of sleep. Then again, he didn't really know any good side of him either.

A high whistle made the villain jolt but he relaxed after turning to the stove. Akuma turned to a stop after removing the pot from it's spot on the stove. The whistle never stopped.

He touched the side of the kettle, confirming that the water inside was nowhere near boiling yet. The dreaded whistle grew slightly louder, his mind searching for anything that could have caused the sound. Perhaps All Might had managed to sneak up behind him? No, even with the quirk suppressing devices on, he would know if someone was behind him. "Well, that's odd." he whispered to himself, willing his destroyed ears to ignore the whistle.

If he could recall correctly, there was a window right above the sink, straight across from him. There was also a small forest outside, which marked the edge of Musutafu. He rolled his shoulders but that whistle was becoming louder, impossible to ignore. Reaching forward, Akuma placed a hand on the cold glass he knew would be in front of him. Was it really that cold outside? He hadn't noticed the weather change so quickly. He could blame the house arrest for that.

The villain physically jolted when a large, firm hand slapped on his shoulder. He cursed himself for showing so much weakness, especially in front of All Might. How had he managed to-

"I don't care if you're trying to wake me up, just don't burn the house down." All Might's voice was rough and tired. With an audible click the stove was turned off and the hero sighed. The whistle didn't stop. "What the-"

There was an electric click and he heard All Might curse. "What was that?" the villain asked, not quite sure what had happened around him. The whistle finally stopped.

"The power went out. Must be a villain or something. There's no storm from what I can see." Footsteps trailed away from the kitchen and into the living room. "I'll check my phone. It might get hard sleeping without heating."

For once, Akuma didn't feel like making conversation. He was still on edge about the strange whistling from before and his throat continued to burn. Sitting on the couch quietly, he contemplated the events. He was able to cover up his jolt -this time- as an alarm rang from what he assumed was All Might's phone. "All citizens of west Musutafu, please remain inside of your homes and lock your doors and windows. There is an unidentified creature roaming the streets with a powerful quirk. This is for your own safety. Please remain inside of your homes and lock your doors and windows." It repeated another two times before shutting off.

The villain's mind continued to play the broadcast. It was so strange, the feeling that rose within his chest. It made him wish he could see. He felt so exposed.

"It's probably just another villain. It should pass once the sun rises, if not sooner." All Might seemed to be talking to himself more than Akuma. It didn't matter to him.

A thought suddenly occurred to him. All Might was as good as quirkless at this point. He didn't have the quirk his brother had passed down and really, he was a frail man. So thin, constantly coughing blood. He was no match to any villain now, especially if the police felt the need to send out a warning like this. And Akuma wasn't much better. He was quirkless as well, thanks to the quirk suppressors, and blind on top of that. How would the two of them be able to defend themselves if something were to attack?

For the first time of Akuma's life, he hoped the heroes would win.


	4. Chapter 4

Toshinori didn't fall back to sleep after the broadcast. It set him on edge. He wanted to act. To reassure anyone he could that it would be alright. That he was there, but he couldn't. Especially not in the state he was in. Not only too thin and quirkless, but he was running on two hours of sleep and those two hours were interrupted often with coughing up blood. Instead of sleeping, the retired hero decided to watch the news and avoid looking out his large windows. If he even got the slightest glimpse of whatever was reported, he would more then likely do something stupid. He always seemed to in these situations. He could already hear his fellow teachers and even Gran Torino reprimanding him for leaving his half safe house to attack a villain.

After reading a short report and barely two sentences of a description of this villain, he checked his texts from Naomasa. Nothing about whatever "large shadow" was lurking around. It was probably not a real threat if his friend hadn't warned him ahead of time. The power was still out. His phone was close to dying and he had no way of charging it, so he turned it off and rubbed at his eyes. It was darker than he liked, feeling restless in darkness with the company he had and the villain lurking outside. "What I'd give for a bit of heating…" He pulled the blanket closer to his thin form, trying to keep the frigid air away. Just as he was warming up, a wave of chills ran down his spine and limbs. It wasn't the cold from outside that caused it this time, though. It was the memory of walking into the kitchen, kettle whistling very loudly and a slight shadow of something from outside. At first, he'd thought it was All For One's shadow, but the longer he thought on it, the less sure he felt.

Toshinori shook his head, rubbing the bumps on his arms. It was strange. He would've expected All For One to do something like that, in the middle of the night no less, but the way the blind man touches the kitchen window, as if he could see something just beyond it…

a full shiver shook him and he tried to shove the thoughts away again. It was honestly creepy being around the blind villain at all. He was astonishingly quiet. Strange how the blonde hadn't noticed it before. There was knocking against the door that made Toshinori physically jump. Looking around, the hero slowly took his phone, turned on the flashlight and walked toward the front door. The chills on his arms made him hesitate, then go back for his blanket, draping it across his shoulders before returning to the door. He was turning the knob, about to pull the door open, when he paused once again. Why would anyone come to his house in the middle of the night?

It couldn't be Naomasa. He wasn't supposed to be here until Monday and it was only Wednesday -technically Thursday, considering the early morning hours- and surely his neighbors thought better of visiting him this late. Especially with the broadcast.

His hero mind argued back. If it were an emergency, Naomasa would visit. If he needed someone to depend on, he would. If his neighbors were scared of this villain or perhaps they had someone they worried about, they would come. If their children were still out with their friends, or away from home, they would ask for his protection. The people in his neighborhood knew him better as Toshinori, then as All Might, but that didn't mean they hadn't seen him stop a shady looking man from breaking into their car or even wrangling a few raccoons. If they really needed him, especially with a villain so close to their neighborhood, they would ask.

With that rationality, Toshinori opened the front door, greeting whoever it may be with a wide smile.

His front steps were empty. There was rain covering most of the steps, barely illuminated by the moon -his porch light must have gone out with the power. Taking a good look at the darkness, he furrowed his brows and frowned. He hadn't imagined the knock, had he? Or perhaps he was too slow in answering and the person in need decided to retreat.

Leaving his front door open, Toshinori stepped out onto his porch and searched further. There was no way someone could've run from his front door that quickly and he hadn't remembered any speed or flight quirks in his small row of houses. The chill of the night seeped through his thin blanket and he pulled it tighter around himself. The flashlight of his phone, and his only source of light besides the natural sky, shut off, signaling the death of his phone battery.

He cursed quietly to himself and thrust the device into his baggy pants. He braced himself for another chill of wind and called out to whoever was still wandering around, hopefully protected at the very least. It could be dangerous to be outside with a villain running around, especially alone.

"Hello?!" He called into the empty streets, the question echoing back. "If anyone's out there, don't hesitate to ask for shelter!" He let the echo fade until it was swallowed by silence. Not even the crickets dared to respond. Strange. Usually the crickets would keep him up with their chirping.

"I'm going back inside now! If you need anything, just ask!" He had called out and after the last call faded, he sighed and turned back to his open door way. Walking back through the doorway, he thought he had heard something, but after listening and getting no other response, he shook his head and closed his door.

Once the locked -you could never be too careful with a villain report- the blond settled back onto the couch and attempted to get more sleep. His mind dozed as he breathed deeply, but something in the back of his mind kept him from truly resting.

…

Another knock started Toshinori awake. He groaned, reaching into his pocket to check the time, only to be reminded of his dead battery. Looking over his shoulder at the stove told him that the power was still out. Nice.

A Second knock interrupted his train of thought and reminded him of why he had woken up in the first place. The retired hero sighed, stood up with pops and cracks in his joins, and slowly made his way to the front door. The blanket hung loosely on his shoulders as he lazily unlocked the door and twisted the knob, but stopped at the third knock. It didn't come from the front door. His eyebrows pinched together as he turned his head toward the direction he had heard it from. It came from his sliding door. The glass one that lead to the forest on the edge of the city. "What the…"

Pulling the blanket tighter, Toshinori slowly made his way toward the opposite side of the house. He rubbed at his eyes as he crossed the living room again, the sleep kept away by his nerves but the blur still present.

The tall man stopped a few feet away from the door, his heart shooting blood in and out of his veins. The chills on his arms and legs making him go tense. A wave of fear that felt like water ran down his skull and through his spine. It was a blurry image, but he could clearly see the silhouette of a human just outside of the door. He forgot to breathe for a few seconds, just staring at the figure. It wasn't very large, but looks could be deceiving. It looked far more full then he, himself, was. Very slowly, he stepped toward the door and dared to press his closed fist against it. He hesitated and tapped on the glass twice.

Toshinori jumped as the figure moved closer to the glass, another chill rolling through his bones. He didn't dare let out his breathe in fear of the noise it would make. A pale, clothed hand pressed back, palm stretched out. At the shorter distance, he could barely make out the skin on top of it's head and the white of its suit now made sense. All For One.

The blond pulled the door open with all of his weight -which wasn't very much- and gaped at the villain. He was greeted with a disgusting smile. "It took you long enough." The man snorted as he walked into the house.

"What were you doing out there?!" He slammed the door shut again, the chill still present in his arms and tension in his shoulders but it eased. He was more angry now then anything.

"I heard a noise and decided to investigate." He said it so simply. As if he hadn't almost caused the taller male to have a heart attack. He was getting too old for jump scared.

"What kind of noise?" The statement now worried him. Was it like the knocking he had heard before?

"It was nothing but a whimpering rabbit. Don't worry your mind about it. If I didn't know better, I would've thought you were scared." the annoying tone was somehow lessened. It was crystal clear he was on edge And...rabbits don't whimper, do they? At least not loud enough to be heard from inside the house.

"Fine. just go back to bed then. I don't want to deal with you more than I have to."

The villain tensed for a moment and turned his ear to the sliding door before nodding silently and walking easily back his room. The way a blind man wouldn't. Sighing, Toshinori walked back to his own room and laid down. It had been a rough night and he could really use some good sleep now. Maybe he could worry about the strange occurrences around his house in the morning.

Taking his pain medications and plugging in his phone, despite not having any power. He slowly drifted off to sleep, hoping more news would come in the morning. And a warm bath. Yeah. he'd like that.


	5. Chapter 5

Toshinori was beyond tired of being woken up by knocking. He felt irritation flair up in his chest -as well as slightly frightened- and wanted to Texas Smash the next person who interrupted his sleep. The knocking continued despite his best wishes, forcing him onto his feet -aches and pops following after- and he walked to the door. As he passed All For One's room, he noted the slightly open door and the sleeping form inside of the room. At least he could avoid All For One being an added annoyance.

Slowly coming to the living room, he gathered his discarded blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders, and opened the door slowly. He was surprised to see Naomasa on the other side with a less than pleased expression. "Nao? Am I free already?" Toshinori made an attempt at humor and it seemed to lighten his friend's expression.

"Toshinori. Can I come in?" He gave a small smile.

"Of course. Of course." the taller man opened his door fully and joined his friend as he made his way to the couch. "Would you like some tea?"

"That would be nice. I need All For One here as well." The detective relaxed his tense shoulders.

Toshinori nodded before going straight to the kitchen. He checked the stove to see if the power was back on and was relieved to find it had. He filled the kettle with water and set it to boil before making his way toward his guest bedroom. One look inside said that All For One was sleeping deeply. His breathing mask was secured onto his head, releasing hisses every time he breathed. Smirking to himself, Toshinori slowly stalked forward and took hold of the clear plastic, pulling it off of the villain's deformed nose and mouth. When he didn't wake up, Toshinori pulled it further and let it go, the elastic snapping it back toward the sleeping man's face.

The All For One sat up in panic and looked around the room -as if he could see- made Toshinori very happy. "What the he-"

Toshinori dragged the other man out of the bed my the collar of his T-shirt and continued to drag him -with a strength most didn't think he still had in this form- to the living room where Naomasa sat. His friend perked up when he reentered the room but looked utterly confused when he saw the still half asleep villain dragged back with him. The blond dropped him in front of the couch and sat down as if nothing had happened.

All For One stood up slowly, now wide awake, and made a confused noise. "I don't remember ordering a wake up call." He snapped bitterly. good.

The detective cleared his throat and stood up. "I've come to discuss your house arrest, All For One. Please have a seat."

The villain nodded slowly before taking a set across from them in a chair that any normal blind person wouldn't be able to see. How?

Naomasa sighed before grabbing his papers and starting. "We were alerted, last night, that both of you had left the house at some point during the night. It was at different entrances and different times, but both of you left. Care to explain to me why you might have felt the need to do that?"

All For One smiled easily, as if this were a tea party. "It's simple, really. I left because there was something outside that grabbed my interest."

"What exactly was it that peaked your interest?" Naomasa turned his head to the side and pulled out a notebook.

"It was the whistling."

"The whistling?"

"Yes, the whistling." He was making it difficult on purpose it seemed.

"Would you care to elaborate?"

"Of course." All For One nodded, still smiling. "Well, first I noticed a strange sound when I was making tea later in the night; so, when I heard it again, I decided to investigate. It was coming from outside of the house, near the trees. I slipped out of the house for a few seconds to listen. Simple, isn't it?"

Toshinori was more intrigued now. He remembered All For One getting locked outside, but he doubted the villain really stupid enough to do that himself. Besides, he'd heard it too. Right before the power went out and before he went back inside.

"As I came closer to the forest, I noticed the sound change direction. It was suddenly coming from behind me so I turned and heard a loud thud. The next thing I knew, it was silent and I had been locked outside."

It was quiet for a while. Naomasa's business face had faded and he looked openly worried while Toshinori tried to understand the story. Whatever was making this sound had the opportunity to close and lock the door? That means it must've gone...inside. But that wasn't possible, was it? They hadn't seen anything since then and if it were a villain, wouldn't they have come out by now?

"So, tell me if I'm wrong," Naomasa started. "You walked outside of the house to investigate a strange noise in the middle of the night?"

All For One nodded too casually. He'd seemed so tense last night and his story was shocking enough to hear on it's own. Then again, All For One was known to lie and cheat out of trouble. Was this just a cover up for whatever he was actually doing outside? No. That couldn't be it. Naomasa would've picked up on it with his quirk. This must be at least a half truth.

"And upon that, you left the door open, knowing there had been a villain broadcast only hours before and were locked outside? Do you realize how many lines you crossed?"

"I do, but I don't really care. Neither of us are injured, at least from this incident, and really the only harm done is you wasting your time."

Naomasa sat back at that. Anyone else would think the man was thinking it through, or trying to use his quirk as best he can. Toshinori knew he was trying to keep himself calm. They both knew that getting upset would only make the situation worse and the villain more smug. Shaking his head, Naomasa sighed and turned to the old hero. "How did you get back inside?"

"All Might heard me knocking and let me in." All For One sat back, a smug smile already playing on his lips but it fells as soon as he heard the kettle whistle. Strange.

Toshinori got up slowly, trying to quiet the aches and pains in his joints. He made quick work of pouring two cups of tea and returned. Once he was back, Naomasa turned to him with his usual detective face and nodded. "What story to you have for breaking the rules?" Great. Now it was his turn to get lectured. His would likely be worse, considering his record for doing stupid things. Whose idea was it to keep him in house arrest again?

"I heard someone knocking on the front door around three in the morning and wanted to help whoever it was. I mean, there's a villain somewhere and if they need shelter or protection, then I could offer it." The look his friend gave him said it wasn't as smart of an idea as he had thought.

"Alright, continue."

"Well, I opened the door and nothing was there; so, I thought 'maybe they ran for cover' and I walked out. When I still didn't see anyone I called out in hopes whoever needed help would return." that made sense, right?

The detective sighed deeply and rubbed at his face. He typically did when Toshinori told him stories like this. He didn't see what the retired hero did. What if someone had been there for help and he never answered? He couldn't leave someone alone. "Both of you heard weird noises, walked outside -exposing yourself further- and left the door wide open without anyone watching?" The way he said it made their actions sound stupid. From that point of view, it kind of was.

"I wouldn't write this up as stupidity or forgetfulness so quickly, Detective. Usually, I'd have a strong set of quirks to back me up in case danger were to appear. If I were to close the door, that would attract more attention, making me more vulnerable. I didn't go far and when something did get behind me, I was aware." All For One supplied. It was a true statement. He had always had a quirk and relied on them to live, now that he was destroyed beyond repair. Losing them could lead to this kind of thing.

"Alright. I'm going to make myself completely clear. If you two see anything, hear anything or feel anything weird or suspicious, do not leave the house and do not investigate. Call me and I will handle it. Better yet, call a hero and trust them to protect you." Naomasa gave them both an angry look. It made Toshinori half wish he was the blind one, to avoid it.

"Yes, Sir." Toshinori whispered and All For One nodded, though he wasn't quite as effected.

"Then I will report what you said to my office and leave you two to deal with each other. I think that's punishment enough for you." Naomasa drank the rest of his tea and stood up to leave. Toshinori guided him to the front door, whispering apologies as he went. With a tip of his hat, the detective left.

They would have to take this villain warning more seriously in the future.


	6. Chapter 6

The light went out again at sunset that night. Toshinori was thankfully finishing his dinner, avoiding All For One for yet another day when the lights buzzed and flickered out, along with the rest of the neighborhood. At least his phone was fully charged now. He hadn't known that the lights would go out, but it was a higher possibility when this villain was still roaming around. Strangely enough, no one had mentioned seeing anything since the broadcast.

"Did the power go out again?" All For One asked from the couch. How he could tell was beyond the retired hero but he went along with it.

"Yeah. The villain may be hanging around the power station to make their targets more vulnerable."

"You mean us?" All For One corrected unhelpfully.

"Yes. Us." Toshinori sighed and stood up from the table. He rinsed his dish and avoided randomly checking the news to save his phone battery. He'd have to drop the habit all together to avoid stressing himself out in retirement. A few hours into the silence, the sun had fully set and Toshinori regretted not asking Noamasa for candles or flashlights. A quick look out the window showed that a few neighbors had gotten some.

"You don't have a backup generator, do you?" The villain leaned into his personal space where they sat on the couch.

Then the question registered and he paused. Did he? It wasn't unusual for houses to have backup lights for cases like this. He had bought the house from an older hero -which made the possibility of having one more likely- but hadn't asked. He didn't remember seeing one while cleaning out the basement for a study. Maybe he could check. "I'll see." Turning on his phone flashlight, Toshinori headed to the basement. "If anything it'd save my frozen foods."

"Are you really going into the basement with a scary villain running around?" he villain teased.

"There isn't a villain in my house other than you. Besides, this isn't some horror movie." Toshinori smirked to himself. "But if you're too scared to be left alone then I could always give you a pillow to hug."

The villain scuffed. "No thing could scare me more than your fashion choices, assuming it's stayed the same over six years."

Rude. "Alright. Don't get into trouble while I'm gone." He warned genuinely, knowing that the idiot was willing to walk out of the house to chase noises in the middle of the night again.

The basement wasn't super large, but it wasn't small either. The majority of it was his study, but some areas were left unused simply because he had no idea what they could be used for. There were wires all along the walls, connecting to the stove and fridge from upstairs. The walls were made of solid cement, usually making the space too cold for Toshinori to get much work done, but that's why he had stored a heater in the corner. There were a few pipes that ran along the ceiling as well, his hair brushing against a few lower ones as he walked. He had a long storage hall in the very back but he only had a few bags of rice and cans in there. He didn't require much food and likely wouldn't live long enough to need a full food storage.

First he checked the walls. If there was going to be a generator, it would have to be attached to the wall. As he searched, he noticed a few chips and cracks in the wall that were in need of patching. He hoped he didn't find any mice. They were impossible to deal with, especially if they deemed his house warm enough to start a family in. A shiver ran down Toshinori's spine as he pressed forward. A scraping noise spotted the retired hero dead in his tracks.

His heart beat too quickly in his broken chest and it made breathing a bit more difficult. He tried to listen for where the sound came from. Up. It was above him, almost directly. Taking in a deep breath, Toshinori shined the light from his phone up and jolted.

Nothing. He had scared himself over nothing. "Stupid villains…" he muttered as he pressed forward. His heart hadn't settled since the scare and continued to put him on edge. What if something really was inside? Both of them had left the doors open, unattended. All For One was even locked out. It was possible.

The tin box on the wall sent a wave of relief through the tall male. Finally. Upon opening the box, he noticed that it was in fact, not a backup generator. It was just the fuse box. He sighed out and frowned. "Well, I guess this house is old enough for that to make sense. Those things are expensive." he mumbled to himself and was cut short when he heard someone yell.

"All Might!"

It was All For One.

Toshinori bolted toward the door of the basement, leaving his phone clattering on the concrete floor. A dark figure met him halfway up the stairs, pushing them both down to the bottom. The hero was panicking by that point. The body on top of him continued to wiggle and shift. He couldn't see, couldn't breathe and his mind was running on his hero instinct, but he was too weak to satisfy the many urges.

The figure on top of him rolled to the side and Toshinori pushed himself as far away from it as he could. Then he noticed it's smell. Like tar and newly pressed suits. All For One? Oh, now he was pissed. "I swear, if this is some kind of joke-"

A hand covered his mouth and he could see the outline of the villain's face once his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He was sweaty and breathing loudly.

"I...I felt it." He barely whispered it and a shiver ran down Toshinori's spine. All For One was scared. "It was sharp and...and it whistled! It whistled in my ear! I heard it whistle…" The villain was clearly panicking, which grounded the hero's senses.

"What do you mean, it whistled?" He turned the blind man's face toward him, even if he couldn't see.

"Like the kettle! Remember...remember when I was making tea and you woke up because the kettle kept whistling? Remember that?!"

Toshinori stopped and his blood ran cold. The power went out seconds after that. He'd remembered hearing it but hadn't had much time to really ponder on it.

They both jumped at the knock. Oh no.

Toshinori sucked in a breath and left All For One behind as he marched up the stairs. He swung around the corner just in time to see something tall -taller than Toshinori-, pale and too thin to be human, leave the house through the sliding door. He rushed to the now open door and slammed it shut, locking it and pulling draped over it in an added protection.

…

It took a while to convince All For One to leave the basement, and even longer to allow him to retrieve his phone. With the villain bundled up on the couch and his phone back in his pocket, he dared to look out the window again. It hadn't returned. good. Ignoring the jolt the other man gave when he sat down, he sighed and pressed his hands against his forehead. Naomasa was right. A villain had been inside of his home and he had no idea. But it wasn't in the basement and there was no where else for it to hide. Where on earth was it for all of this time and why hadn't it done anything?

"We could've died." All For One whispered. "We're both so close to death. I can't even see for f-" he shuddered and pulled the blanket closer. "We're both quirkless. I could've used my Enhanced Strength, Search, even Cold Wind would've helped! But no. I'm stuck here, quirkless, with a demon walking around." He was shivering now and Toshinori wondered if it was from fear or the cold. Maybe a little bit of both.

All For One had always had a quirk. In fact, he thrived on his quirks. He had probably gotten used to having over 30 quirks at a time, being without even a single one was like taking All Might from Toshinori, but even then he couldn't register it. He was born without a quirk. He never had that edge that allowed anyone to be a hero, that changed society so drastically. He knew how it felt to feel that powerless though.

"All For One-"

"Satsujin." The suited man corrected.

"What?"

"Satsujin Akuma is my name." He was still shivering, but it seemed the change in conversation helped.

He had a name? "Alright, Satsujin-All For One-whatever." It felt so foreign. He didn't like the way it sounded. "Maybe we can work together to keep that thing out."

"You think that two retired, old, quirkless men can keep that monster out?"

A fair question. "You'd be surprised what a quirkless person could do." Shocking words coming from him.

"Right. I almost forgot. You were quirkless before obtaining All For One." He said the word 'quirkless' like it was a disability but in today's age, it might as well be one.

"Yes, and I have the best knowledge on what a quirkless person can do in this situation. You aren't getting your quirks back and that villain isn't going to leave us alone. Either you work with me to keep it out or you sit around like dead weight. Have you ever seen a horror movie, All For One? Do you know what happens to dead weight?" He growled out the end.

The suited man had the nerve to laugh, although it was empty. "You are such a hero." he paused for a long while before sighing. "I'm not going to let that thing kill me." he whispered.

"Then we agree."

"Yes, we do."

They were interrupted by high pitched scream, coming from across the street.


	7. Chapter 7

It killed her. The creature that had been inside of his house killed the woman innocently walking across the street. She didn't even know it was picking her up with it's claws until she was slammed back onto the street and stabbed with its metal plague mask.

Toshinori didn't even have time to think of intervening. All he could think about was the thin, tall, winged creature and the dead body of his friendly neighbor sprawled across the pavement. He could barely see any of it through the darkness, but what he did see was unforgettable. He got a surprisingly good view of the creature and it made another shiver ran through him. It was so deformed, abnormal. Nothing about that 'villain' was normal. The sounds it made shot a wave of horror through his veins. It stood over her still form, opened it's large metal beak and spoke, but it sounded like the middle aged woman it had killed. "Hello? Can anyone help me bring in my groceries?"

She had asked him that exact same thing just hours ago. He was forced to refuse her offer due to his housarrest but suggested she ask another neighbor.

"Hello? Can anyone help me?" it was too sweet sounding. It held her warmth, her kind tone, but it came from the monster.

Toshinori gasped when a door opened behind it. Her Wife. "Lydia? What are you doing out here in the middle of the night?! Where-"She stopped and stared at the creature. It became difficult for Toshinori to see past his own reflection so he slowly opened the front door, just enough to peek out. All For One gasped behind him. "What the he-"

"Can anyone help me?" It asked again, clearer now with the door open.

"What are you?! Where's my wi-" She didn't get the chance to finish before She joined her beloved wife's body in the street. This time, the creature stabbed through her chest with it's long knife-like hand. Both women were now dead. Toshinori felt nausea build with the horror. It was killing for sport.

The creature stood up straight after a while, looked around and lifted it's head to the sky, almost animatronically. It flapped its wings a few times and flew to the front steps of his neighbor's house and stepped inside, closing the door behind it.

A realization made Toshinori cough blood into his hands. His neighbors had a baby. They'd visited him the day they adopted him.

Leaving the door wide open, Toshinori stepped into the street on bare feet. He didn't look at the bodies, he would likely be sick if he did. Instead, he focused on the front door across the street and hoped the creature couldn't hear or see him approach. He walked to the middle of the street before he heard shuffling behind him. He turned slowly and sighed out a breath of relief when it was only All For One. The other man was still wrapped tightly in a blanket and shook ever so slightly. Most likely from the cold. Once close enough to Toshinori, he huffed and shivered. "What exactly do you think your doing?"

"There's a baby in there and I'm going to keep that thing from killing it." He hissed out, keeping an eye on the windows of the house. He didn't have time to argue about morals.

"Don't. This could be a good opening. We could call someone to get rid of that creature while it's focused on something else."

Toshinori wanted to run toward the house with ever ticking second. "We don't waste lives. If you want to, then you can call a hero. I'm rescuing that child." He turned away from the blind man but was careful to keep his steps steady and quiet. If it heard him coming, it'd rush the job. He needed more time.

The man behind him began to quietly protest but Toshinori ignored him. His steps became slower on the old wooden steps of the porch. How could he quietly open the door? It was dead silent and any slight creak or click would definitely give him away. He gripped the door knob slowly but didn't turn it. Not yet. He pressed his ear against the door and listened. A few clicks and heavy breathing. He fought a shiver and continued to listen. There was a soft scrape and Toshinori only had a few seconds to release the knob and turn away before the door jolted in it's frame.

His heart was beating quickly. It was hard to control his breathing and he felt slightly dizzy. The door jolted again and Toshinori made a break for the backyard. Once behind the side of the house, he searched the streets for All For One but found nothing but the dead bodies. He must have left to get help. Good.

The clicking of sharp talons on wood made him sick. He could barely see the tip of it's metal beak in the moon's light. It was outside. Good. Toshinori slowly made his way to the back door. If he could lock it out, then the baby would be safe. He slowly stepped onto the porch and grabbed the handle. He had no idea if the creature had gone back inside by now but he had to risk it.

He held his breath as he slowly pulled the door open. He peeked inside once it was open just a crack and saw the door wide open and a few bits of pale skin. It was still looking outside. He slid the back door further open, but still not wide enough to slip inside. He watched the creature's every move. Toshinori let out a steady breath to release the tension in his muscles before pushing the door out just far enough to step inside.

Each step was slow, calculated and steady. The creature walked further from his view but he still wasn't safe. He silently debated between going straight for the nursery or shutting the creature's main way inside. He decided on the latter, giving both Naomasa and the child more time. He slowly made his way back toward the front door, the pale skin coming back into view.

It was staring at the moon, beak wide open and waiting. It didn't even breath. The thought quickened the pace of Toshinori's heart and he took another silent step forward. He was halfway across when the creature twitched. It didn't turn around. The ex-hero continued forward until he was leaning against the door way, hand outstretched toward the door knob. The thin creature was only a foot away from him. He had to hold his breath to not blow air onto the thing's wings. It could turn around and slash him so easily.

With a deep breath in, he pulled the door shut as fast as he possibly could. It didn't reach the door frame. Two knife like claws kept the door from shutting and Toshinori pushed harder. He just had to get it closed enough to lock. The thin creature was surprisingly strong in it's grip and made his feet slide on the tile floor. Toshinori pressed the heel of his foot against the door frame for leverage. His eyes began to sting and his arms shook with effort. Every muscle in his body tensed as the door slid slightly wider. The creature was winning their game of tug of war

Sucking in a breath, Toshinori buffed up for only a second, but it was long enough to finally seal the door shut, cutting the creature's hands. Then he released his form and spat blood. He locked the door and positioned a chair under the knob as a loose barrier. His body threatened to go limp, but his job wasn't over. He still had to make sure that thing didn't get to the baby. The blond panted heavily all the way to the nursery and shut the door more quietly. He didn't know if it could guess where he'd go.

The baby was luckily sound asleep, completely unaware of the horror right outside of his home. Oblivious to it's now orphaned fate. He set up the single chair against the door and locked the two windows. He was still too vulnerable. It could smash a window, surely. The banging of the front door made his nerves rise and the ache of his muscles whines with ever movement. If only he still had One For All.

The rattling suddenly stopped and Toshinori slid to the floor, ear against the nursery door to listen for sounds. He jolted when he heard shattering glass. It broke in through the kitchen window. Now, only a door kept it out.

It's claws clicked on the hardwood floors, slowly coming closer. "Can anyone help me?" His sweet neighbor's voice echoed against the empty halls. It made Toshinori sick.

"All Might!" It sounded like All For One. The retired hero audibly gasped at the sound. There was no way the blind man was there.

There was a thud just outside of the door and Toshinori heard the voice whispered through the door. "Help me." It pleased. It was trying to taunt him. To pull him out.

A pale, thin claw slid underneath the door slowly, curling against the wood once no more could fit. It almost touched him. "Help me, All Might." the two voices morphed together to make a sentence.

The baby inside of the crib began whimpering, reaching out into the air for comfort. Toshinori couldn't move, too scared to leave his spot near the door. The crying got louder until it was just barely under a scream and any noise the creature made outside of the door was covered up. He had to do something.

Standing on shaky legs, Toshinori rushed to the crying baby but stopped once he saw the face just outside the window. There were two of them now, and this one was melting the glass away with its tongue.


	8. Chapter 8

Toshinori had to get out of this room. He now had two monsters trying to get inside and the baby's crying only made it worse. The creature at the window was staring at him with it's dark black eyes that could barely be seen through it's even darker hair. It's tongue was still pressed against the glass as it melted into a molten pool on the floor. He wasn't sure how big it was, since he could only see it from the neck and up.

Slowly, Toshinori stepped forward, locking eyes with the creature and felt around the crib for the crying child. His heart sped up once the child wrapped it's chubby fingers around his wrist. The rattling of the door behind him made him jolt and the baby cried louder, if it were possible. The creature in front of him scratched it's long fingers against the glass and the screeching noise stung his ears. He was pinned inside the room on both sides. How was he supposed to get out?

The retired hero dared to look away from the thing in front of him long enough to scoop the child into his arms. They weren't the most comfortable for the baby, being as thin as he was, but it helped the crying. A glance at the child's fuzzy pajamas told him it was likely a boy. A sweet little boy whose parents had just died. Another scrape at the window caught his attention just in time to see the black haired creature reach its entire arm inside of the hole it had made. He was running out of time.

He looked around the room. The creature outside would kill him before he could make it all the way out the side window. The creature behind the door was too fast and strong for him to get past and even if he did, the other could easily get in with so many doors open. He was trapped.

His heart sped with every hopeless idea. Looking at the child again, Toshinori was surprised to see it sucking on a pacifier that was tied to their pajamas. The crying now came from outside the door. A chill ran up through him and he wanted to scream.

Then, the crying stopped and the monster in the window was gone. The hole it had created still there, still dripping. He looked frantically at the other window. Nothing.

He then turned to the door and the hands that were under the door were gone as well.

What…

He stepped forward, taking the girl with him. He pulled the chair away from the locked door and slowly turned the lock until it clicked. His breath came quick and his arms shook with chills. Slowly, he repositioned the child in his arms and reached out with his now free hand. Grabbing the door knob, he silently counted to three and threw it open.

The hall was empty. Not a single thing was out of place. It was as if the creature had never been there.

Toshinori walked out of the nursery, careful to look into each corner. It was still too dark. It could be hiding anywhere. He took another tentative step forward.

Foot steps. He heard them, coming from outside, getting closer. Panicking, Toshinori slipped into the closest room and hid behind the door. He surveyed the rest of the room to make sure no one else was inside. Or nothing else.

The baby girl in his arms started whining again. She spit out her pacifier and frowned, her face growing red. Toshinoir cradled her, trying his best to keep her quiet. It was no use.

The footsteps picked up into a run and a door slammed open. The baby continued to whine and whimper, giving his hiding place away. Toshinori's heart was beating impossibly fast. He tried pushing the pacified into her mouth, but she wouldn't take it.

He looked through the crack between the door and the wall and saw the monster from outside the window step into his line of sight. The sight of it made his blood turn cold. It had a long, thin neck and black hair reaching to it's shoulders. It's arms were too thin and it's hands too big. Each finger ended in a point. One of its eyes were sewn shut and the other looked directly at him through the crack.

He audibly swallowed and kicked the door shut. The loud noise made the child in his arms cry louder. The creature gargled before it started burning a hole in the door. Fire started to spread along the door.

He startled and looked at the window behind him. He pulled the curtains away and unlatched the lock. He could feel the fire now, burning away the cold from the night. Looking behind him, the creature stared at him through the flames. It's too wide mouth turned into a smile and his lung could no longer function. Toshinori pulled on the window with all the power in his body. It was going to be a tight fit, but he could make it. Looking back one last time, he saw the creature slowly step through the hole where the door once was. The rest of the room caught fire as well.

He pushed one leg through the window and started panting as the creature came closer and closer. He ducked down and slipped the baby through the window before allowing his torso to follow.

It was only a foot away and reached out for his arm. He swung his leg through but his foot knocked against the window frame, followed by a sharp pain. He gasped and fell onto the grass. The creature frowned at him but didn't move to follow.

Ignoring his throbbing ankle, Toshinori held the baby boy closer to his chest and ran across the street to his house. It would be safe there. Safer then across the street. Looking back as he ran, he saw the fire spread through the roof. By the time the fire department or any water themed heroes arrived, it would be ashes.

All For One met him halfway. "I called a your detective friend." He looked just as panicked at Toshinori felt. He thanked everything that was good in the world that his front door was still closed. Speeding forward, Toshinori ran up the porch stairs and couldn't get the front door open fast enough.

A baby's crying came from behind him, in the air. He didn't need to look to know the first creature was aiming for him. All For One aided him in pushing the door open and once both had made it inside, he slammed it shut, locking it after.

After a few seconds of listening, Toshinori finally let himself breathe. He made to walk to the couch, but the pain in his ankle followed. He caught himself just before falling. He must have made some distressed noise, because All For One held his arm and helped him to the couch. The blond sat down, his energy more than spent, and sighed. He felt the blood rush up his throat but swallowed it back down. He didn't have the energy to have a coughing fit

"You were in there for a while, All Might. What happened?" All For One sounded the most sober the blond had ever heard him.

"I...I saw two." He said between wheezes for breath. His leg began to throb now. Not a good sign.

"Two?! Two of what?! That thing?!" The villain's shouting did nothing for his aching head. This much activity really wasn't good for him.

"Yes. It had...some kind of...tongue heat quirk?" He looked back down at the child. He sucked contently on her bottle. His face was still red but the tears were finally gone. "I barely got out in time." The reminder sent another wave of chills through his skin. It was a lot colder in his living room now that he was away from the fire.

"I...I made monsters, my nomu, but they were always controlled. I never once had to worry about something like...those things. Besides, I had my quirks back then. I'm useless now."

Toshinori wanted to laugh at that, but couldn't find it in him. "Now you get a taste of what everyone else saw."

"But these things are nothing like my nomu! These work for their own causes! They have no master that we know of! My nomu were completely brainless!"

"I meant you." Toshinori glared but the villain wouldn't see it. "You're a monster that kills because it feels good. Because you can. The only difference between you and those things is that you can talk and they can't." He spat. It felt nice to voice his hatred after such a difficult few days. Wait, it had only been a few days. He still had roughly a week and a half left.

The villain beside him was silent and his face too destroyed to read. Had he actually hit him somewhere where it hurt? He doubted it.

A knock on the door startled all three of them. No one moved to get up. No one wanted to look out the window, just to see that monster. A second knock made Toshinori's head throb. He pleaded that it would stop. He just wanted to rest.

"All Might!"

It was Naomasa. He was outside, vulnerable to creatures he knew nothing about.

"Hold her." Toshinori laid the baby girl into the villain's arms. A bad decision in any other situation. Standing up, he limped to the door. He lazily twisted at the lock, but stopped before he managed to completely unlock it. He looked out the window and was met with a metal beak and paper-white skin stretched over long bones. It wasn't Naomasa. The creature stood outside, beak open as it spoke again. "All Might?" It was slightly distorted at the end, but he wouldn't have been able to tell without looking. It was trying to fool it's way in. After another knock, it turned, shut its beak and looked directly at him. It didn't react but those dark, empty holes in it's mask made his blood rush.

He limped away from the window and gathered both All For One and the baby, silently pointing to the basement door. He knew it was fully able to break in.

"Wha-" He placed a finger on the villain's mouth and silently cursed. He hadn't seen the hero's signal.

The blond leaned very close to the villain, closer than he ever wanted to be, and whispered in the hole on the side of his head. "We have to take shelter in the basement." It still felt too loud.

Going paler, the villain slowly nodded and quietly walked toward the basement door. It could be a very bad idea to lock themselves in an area with only one exit, but it was their best bet. He had jugs of water and dry food. They could live down there for a few days without much problem. That was assuming that neither monster would find them before then.

All For One slowly walked down the steps and stumbled slightly at the last step. With a sigh of relief, Toshinori looked around his main floor again, in case he needed anything. Seeing the pillows and blankets covering the couch, he limped forward.

The door began to rattle and the blond's heart started pumping. Blood filled his mouth but he held it in. It got louder once he reached the couch and he started pulling blankets and pillows into his thin arms. It was too cold in the basement for a baby.

The door frame sounded ready to bust apart. Turning back, he limped back less carefully then before. He couldn't let it see him close the door. Passing the screen door that lead into the forest outside, an idea sprouted. It wouldn't look inside if it thought they had run out.

The front door creaked with every hit and he was losing time. Throwing the bedding down the stairs, he turned to the screen and pulled it open. His shaky hands slipped slightly. He had to try again.

The lock on the front door broke with a loud clunk. With as much energy as he could muster, he pulled the door open wide and threw the shoes beside it into the mud. He limped back to the basement door, achingly slow.

The front door slammed open just as the basement door locked shut.


	9. Chapter 9

It was still inside. He could hear it scratch and crawl along the tile floors of the kitchen, but it didn't touch the basement door. Akuma was still holding the child All Might had handed to him -a very poor decision in any other situation. He squirmed in Akuma's arms and all either man could do to calm him was wrap him up and shake him lightly. At least He'd gotten most of his crying out while All Might was in the house.

It was dreadfully cold in the basement and he bet that it was dark, even if he couldn't see. He regretted not putting on his suit before this, but he doubted he'd had time, with a monster running around and all. Now he was stuck in a likely blue pair of pajamas that had been offered to him before this deal went into effect. At least the inside held a little bit of warmth, but far from enough.

They both jumped at the sound of crashing and shattering. Why was it trying so hard to find them? Surely there were better kills in the neighborhood. Older men who were easier to find, so why was it looking through every corner of their house? All Might's house.

"All Might!" The voice was eerily muffled by the blankets and the basement door. He almost gagged at hearing his own voice. It was disgusting, horrifying to hear himself from that beast. It made his heart pump and his breath quicken. He had to calm down. If he had an attack now, then he'd either die from lack of air or give away their hiding spot, killing them anyway. He couldn't risk it. It was bad to not have his mask down in the cold, but they didn't have time to get it. They barely had enough time to grab blankets and his medical gear wasn't exactly light to carry.

Another sound caught his attention. Like a soft scratching at a...wall? A door? He wasn't sure. No, maybe it was a window. It was hard to tell from so far away.

Another pot crashed onto the floor and something glass was thrown into the living room. It didn't help that the kitchen was directly above them. Akuma held the whimpering child closer, in hopes to silence their crying. If he gave them away, he would kill the child before that thing had the chance.

The child was taken from him, leaving his arms colder than they had been and he shivered. He hoped All Might hadn't read his mind -an irrational hope considering the other man was quirkless. All Might had likely known him for long enough to guess. At much as Akuma disliked the hero, he wasn't stupid by any means.

They waited for another hour, listening to it screech and talk, trying to trick them out of their hiding spot. An hour of beating hearts and shivering bodies. Shallow breaths and a whimpering child. An hour of torture.

After a full hour had passed, everything went silent. Not a scratch or word was heard from outside the basement. Neither man dared to move, in case it had somehow find a way to get to them. They stayed there for what felt like an eternity before All Might shifted beside him.

"Don't go out there." Akuma hissed. For a number one hero, he was good at causing trouble.

"We can't stay down here forever." He hissed back. "If that thing's gone then there's no point in staying here and freezing."

Before Akuma could argue further, the presence of the taller man was gone and he could hear the wooden stairs of the basement creek. There was no way that thing would just give up. Even without his eyesight, he could tell how persistent it was. It had chased All Might through that neighbor's house, screaming and yelling in foreign voices. It had targeted them and no monster gave up so easily on a weak target.

The basement door opened and the villain was ready to run if he had to. But to where? There was nowhere to run to, other than into the storage closet behind him. He didn't know how hidden he was and if he wasn't, he'd have no idea where to go. All Might hadn't mentioned the power coming back on so it was likely too dark for the hero to see as well. A bad situation. A blind man should never lead another blind man to safety. It was common logic.

A wave of freezing air made Akuma shiver. Where did it come from? Surely it wasn't from the open side door. He was too far from it to feel the cold outside. Maybe there was a small vent near him? Or perhaps an opening in the wall?

Hesitantly, he reached forward. There was nothing there. With more confidence -yet he was still very afraid- he slowly inched forward, toward the source of the cold air. It made him shiver, but he had to know where it was coming from. He was a man of research. His instincts told him to find a solution, an answer. If there was some kind of opening, then maybe he could get out of the dreaded basement in case All Might died upstairs. The basement floor was dreadfully cold as well but no colder than it usually was. He hissed quietly when he felt his fingers touch a particularly cold piece of tile. His subconscious mind screamed that someone was right in front of him, but when he reached out, nothing was there.

Returning to touching to floor, Akuma felt a thin piece of metal spike out from the floor. There were a few others near it and they all joined together into a single metal rod. What was this?

"All For One?"

The villain jolted even though the voice was whispered. It sounded like All Might, but he couldn't completely trust his ears. That thing had mimicked the sound of the tea kettle and he heard it mimic the baby's crying before. This could be a trap.

However, Akuma's logical mind started to argue with itself. There may be a monster, but hadn't it left? Wasn't All Might just up stairs, where the sound had come from? You didn't hear yells or screams, so why wouldn't the voice belong to All Might? But...if it had come from the hero, then why would he whisper? To get his attention while avoiding someone else's. Or something else. If that thing was still inside, then that voice could still belong to it. But where did All Might go?

"All For One?" It repeated, slightly louder this time. It sounded identical to All Might's voice. He cursed his destroyed eyes.

"All Might?" Akuma responded, now trying to stand up with the support of the metal curves he'd found on the floor. It was difficult to stand when his legs refused to function and his lungs hurt from the cold. Another chilling wave of air made him shiver and he ran his hand higher up the metal to get a better hold.

The metal stopped suddenly, and he felt something acutely similar to skin. It was wet and cold. A shrill rolled down Akuma's spine, making him shiver again. Dropping the blanket wrapped around his shoulders, he reached forward with his second hand, feeling more metal, but instead of a thin bar, he felt a smooth arch. As his fingers explored the surface, he tried to make a mental image of what he felt, but couldn't. What was he touching?

The skin he still held onto confused him the most. He would be scared, but his logical mind told him that he had heard nothing go down the stairs, therefore the monster was gone or occupied by All Might. Had All Might even gone up? His memory was starting to mix facts. Was he just touching All Might's arm and a piece of the basement? Wouldn't the hero tell him to stop if he were?

The metal surface ride up for a long while until he felt a curve upward and two holes. A shovel? Shovels didn't have holes. A mask? Maybe. A beak? He felt it again and nodded to himself. Yes. That seemed about right.

"All For One!" It was screamed this time, but the villain barely had time to react before three shots sounded out, his ears ringing from the loud noise. The skin and metal he held onto fell away but he could barely notice has he covered his ears. What just happened?

The ringing lasted a while until muffled voices started to register in his ears. The ringing finally faded as he could hear three things. Crying, yelling, and shuffling.

"Did you get it?" A foreign yet strangely familiar voice asked. His mind was too scattered to focus on identifying it.

"I think so. It's not moving." All Might said, the baby's crying still coming from his direction.

There was a metal click and he was suddenly getting pushed backward. "What were you doing?"

All Might's voice was only a small distance away now. "What happened?" Akuma ignored his question for his own. More shuffling sounded and a soft grunt before an answer came.

"It was right in front of you! You were touching it's mask! If I hadn't shot it, then it would've killed you!" There was a hint of something else in the hero's voice, but Akuma couldn't focus on that beyond his own horror.

"I thought it was a pip or...I don't know! I never heard it come down!" His heart began to beat faster. How had he let himself get so close to that thing? How had he lived so long? wasn't it killing for sport?

There was a sigh and then All Might was further away. Akuma slowly stood up, still shaking from the cold and fear, but at least his legs would obey now. "Is it dead?" He asked.

That foreign voice -who he now could identify as Detective Tsukauchi- answered. "Yes, but from what To-All Might told me, there is still one more running around. We have one of the best heroes on this case now."

"And this child?" All Might asked, less angry than before. "I can't keep a child with me, but where else would she go?"

"I'll find a place for her, Toshinori. Don't worry about her. I'm just glad you two managed to get out of this alive. From what I saw, these aren't just villains."

Akuma waddled up the stairs, now wrapped up into a blanket once again. He moved slowly, afraid of anything else that might come out of the shadows. He made his way to his bedroom and attached his mask. He needed his medication as well. After everything that had happened, he's surprised he hadn't had an attack.

Voices continued to sound around him, but he didn't care to listen. The directive was saying something about the body turning to dust, but he probably heard wrong. He couldn't sleep in a while, but it didn't matter. He'd rather stay up then dream of those creatures. His hands still felt cold from the mask he'd touched. He hoped this nightmare would just end already.


	10. Chapter 10

Toshinori had only left the basement for a few minutes. He should've known how dangerous it was to leave a blind man alone, but he kept a careful eye on the basement door. He had only searched his and the guest bedroom just long enough to make sure nothing was hiding inside before he returned to the living room. Noamasa arrived just seconds after, asking details that Toshinori gladly gave. As he searched the outside window, he heard his own voice from the basement. It only took him a second to grab his best friend's gun and aim at the creature he knew was down the stairs.

All For One was so close to it. He was touching it. His hand held one of it's mutated and curved legs and the other was on its beak, inches away from the jagged teeth that spiked out. It's hand was circling around the villain's body, ready to strike at any second.

Toshinori didn't register yelling or even shooting, but once the thing was knocked over, he ran down. All For One had fallen as well, his destroyed face still showing his shock. He shot the creature again, this time in it's uncovered head. The mask fell off and clattered to the floor, revealing a gaping hole where it's face should've been. Large, sharp teeth lined the edges of it's head, pointing out in all directions.

The baby boy's crying pulled Toshinori's attention away from the now dead monster. He was still holding him. How had he not noticed before?

Pro Hero Kamui Woods reported that the dead monster had turned into ash. Both Toshinori and Naomasa had been shocked beyond belief, but after eveything he'd seen, it wasn't such a big worry. They collected the ash and kept it in Tartarus, just in case it were to reform. "I'll be patrolling this area until the second creature is restrained. I advise you and All For One to stay inside. Even if that thing comes inside, just call for me." Kamui Woods handed off a communication device and left without another word.

Even after the cop cars and officers had left, he could still see the blue and red lights flashing in his mind. He hated being this weak. He could barely defend himself, let alone a child and a blind man. The encouraging part of his mind said that he had protected them thus far. They were all safe, unharmed and alive. That was enough to speak for his strength. He still wasn't comfortable though. He would ever regret the events at Kamino Ward, but he wished he had more time left.

After a few seconds of consideration, Toshinori noticed that All For One had been absent throughout this entire process. Had he gone to bed? He hoped so. Neither of them would get much sleep tonight, but a little was better than none.

Rocking the whimpering baby in his arms, Toshinori walked back to his own bedroom, ready to retire for the night -although the night was almost up. He could almost see the sun peeking up behind the line of trees behind his home. "Let's see what tomorrow brings, hm?" Toshinori smiled at the baby and kissed his head softly. He had read somewhere that babies respond better to being with a limited number of strangers over a crowd of police officers. That was why Toshinori had volunteered to take care of him until this mess subsided. He could handle at least that.

Laying down in his bed, Toshinori set up a wall of pillows between him and the child to avoid rolling over and crushing him in his sleep. A tip he had learned from his oversharing neighbors. Specifically, the married couple that had died just last night. The parents of this poor baby boy. The precious boy fell asleep quickly, to Toshinori's luck. The last thing he needed was a restless baby to put to sleep. The retired hero's mind continued to wonder, not letting him get a lick of sleep himself. That was alright. He didn't plan on running around the neighborhood anymore. He could rest at any time.

Instead, Toshinori decided to peek into the guest bedroom to keep a close tab on All For One. Wait, didn't he have a real name? He couldn't remember after so much chaos. He would just ask once the other man woke up.

Nodding to himself, Toshinori closed the guest bedroom door slowly, still not completely sure if the villain was even asleep -it was difficult to tell when he had no eyelids. Toshinori returned to his own room, just in time to see the child squirm. So much for peaceful sleep. "Shhh, hey. It's okay. Nothing's here to hurt you. You're safe." Toshinori mumbled sleepily. None of it worked for the poor child.

Before he could pick the baby up to help calm him, he started to shift. Although his body didn't move, his head seemed to...grow? It distorted and changed. It wasn't right. What was happening? He didn't know what to do. Something was growing from inside the boy's neck. What if he was developing a mutation quirk? No. Mutation quirks typically came at birth or grew slowly over a several week radius. This couldn't possibly be a quirk, could it? He had to call someone about this.

It took half a second for Toshinori to pull out the device he had just barely been given and press the large button in the middle. It took a few seconds to send out a signal and by the time he looked back to the baby boy, he had grown a second head. This head was not identical to her own, however. This head was too big, bald save a few stray wisps of hairs and long, sharp teeth showing from underneath it's lips. It's eyes were sewn shut and it's nose looked like All For One's. He was growing a monster.

"All For One!" He yelled, needing back up while Kamui Woods was making his way over. The suited man walked in hesitantly, unable to see the horror that was happening on Toshinori's bed.

He stopped in the door frame, obviously tense. His voice came out in a whisper. "All Might?"

"Hw's growing one of those creatures!" the retired hero yelled. "It's growing out of his neck!"

All For One's hesitation was gone in an instant. "The baby?!"

"Yes! It must be his quirk or something! To create these...things!"

The growing process began to sped up as the baby cried. More of the creature grew and it fell to the floor once it wouldn't fit on the bed. This one was taller than the others, reaching to the ceiling. It had the same pale skin but it's arms were twisted several times around and stopped before the wrist, leaving a long nub.

"Do something!" All For One shouted, feeling the creature reach out to him blindly. "We already have one left! Where did you put the gun?!"

Toshinori felt his adrenaline spike just by watching it. "No! I can't shoot it! I don't know what it'll do to the baby! It could kill them both! We have to wait until it's detached!"

"Forget about the baby! We'll die if we wait! It's weak right now!"

"I can't do that! I can't!" Toshnori's heart was beating too fast and the blood started to rise in his throat.

"He's already an orphan! You're doing him a favor!" The creature swipped and missed by a few inches. They were trapped in the furthest corner of the room.

"This is a human being! He is living! Breathing! Suffering! I can't kill him! It's against everything I've ever done!"

"I don't care about your stupid heroic morals! It's either us or him so just shoot it!"

"No!"

"Now!"

"No!"

All For One took a step toward the creature and Toshinori ran to stop him. He wouldn't let him kill the baby. "We can restrain it! It will be okay!"

"No! I'm sick of you and your stupid decisions! The answer to this problem is clear! We sacrifice a child for a city's worth of lives! You're a hero! You're supposed to understand this!"

Toshinori felt blood drip down his chin but ignored it. He pushed All For One against the nearest wall and pinned him there. He didn't want to have to fight, but he would if he had to. "You know nothing about being a hero! Don't pretend like you ever could! You're a monster! A villain! You don't value anyone's life but your own!"

A long arm pulled them both back and threw Toshinori against the opposite wall. Everything hurt. His head was pounding and he thought he might die, but he couldn't let anything happen to that baby. Getting up slowly, Toshinori turned toward the creature just in time to see it take another blow at All For One, cutting the man's already ruined face. "Stop!" The retired hero limped forward, his ankle irritated from so much action but managed to drag it's arms away. All For One was still conscious. That was good.

The creature stumbled on one foot. It's arms swung out, knocking over anything in it's way Just as it was about to grab him, All For One pushed him into the hall and slammed the door shut. The creature was now alone in the room with the baby, the two adults stuck outside.

"What are you-" Toshinori was interrupted by the villain's arms pulling him further away from the door.

"We're getting your gun! It's detached now and we have an opportunity to-"

The door broke in splinters. Pieces of wood lodged themselves along the walls and the opposite door and they ran. Or limped. Netiher of them looked back and luckily, they met Kamui Woods in the living room. "Kill it! Kill it!" All For One chanted, falling to the floor in a bloody heap. Toshinori knelt beside him, gripping at his dangerously fast heart. He was coughing blood all over his floor.

It was over before either of them knew it.

"Wha-what happened?" Toshinori whispered through gasps of breath.

"It turned to dust before I could get to it. The same thing happened to the second one when I attempted to attack it. Just...poof." The hero sat down and offered a wet cloth. "You two look really bad. I'll get your oxygen tank." Kamui stood up slowly and walked back toward the room.

It was gone? Just like that? If this was the baby's quirk, then perhaps he couldn't help them for so long? They would have to find out more under safer conditions. For now, all Toshinori wanted to do was take a long, relaxing vacation. Preferably without monsters or villains.


	11. Chapter 11

"You were right, All Might." Naomasa patted Toshinori's back as they walked through the police station. "Leaving the two of you together was a bad idea. At least it wasn't for the reasons we thought." He sparred a soft chuckle.

"What else can you tell me? About the boy's quirk?" Toshinori didn't care to take whatever praise his friend gave. He knew quite a few children who went into government quartintine because of their quirks and he didn't want this boy to be one of them. Those people weren't allowed out of their 'homes' and barely got to live a life close to everyone else's. That wasn't a way to raise someone with so much potential, despite the quirk he may have.

"His quirk it called Living Nightmare. As he dreams, he designed these creatures. As such a young child, he has no way of controlling what he makes or how they act. With training, I can see this becoming helpful. For now, we'll have to keep him under strict watch, but once he's old enough to start lucid dreaming, we can let him live in society." Naomasa must have seen Toshinori's worried expression because he gave him another pat on the back and a reassuring look. "Toshinori, I will personally make sure this child is able to mix himself back into society. I won't let the government control him."

Toshinori sighed in relief. He would definitely get some grey hairs from this.

"I'll get you to UA soon. You still have a swollen ankle to worry about." Noamasa winked, knowing the torture Toshinori would receive from causing such a mess. He dreaded the lecture he would inevitably get from Recovery Girl. "You'll also have to talk to All For One." he threw the comment out as if it were simply a suggestion.

Toshinori nodded slowly. "I'll get to that soon. Thank you, Naomasa."

HIs detective friend gave the signiture All Might thumbs up before heading away to his office. He had quite a bit of paperwork to do thanks to them. The paperwork-hating part of Toshinori was grateful it wasn't him. He wasn't a hero anymore and no longer had to deal with the paperwork that followed.

The taxi ride to Tartarus had been relaxing. Toshinori flipped his prison pass in his large hands, looking over his old picture. He'd gained it after Kamino and could visit one person in the prison every month. Not that he really wanted to. Most people in there wanted him dead and the rest simply dispised him for his title. Or, the title he used to have.

The security was sinfully slow, as usual. He's had to take off his belt and had his phone checked through. Thankfully, he didn't have any embarrassing texts to read. He still blushed at the various emojis he'd sent to after telling her that he was off of house arrest. She, much like himself, preferred the overly cute emojis to help communicate over text. He liked to use the cat emojis best though.

Toshinori sat in front of All For One, just like he had before all of this happened. There was a significant different, however. This time, he wasn't filled with dark hatred. No. this time, he was calm and relaxed. He knew exactly hat he wanted to say to the villain but still wasn't quite sure where they stood.

They had kept the quirk suppressing devices lodged into the villain's head so that the two could walk for longer, even though there was a thick screen of glass between them. All For One was back in his chair, but wore a white button-down shirt with suit pants. Likely a more comfortable outfit for him. Straight jackets have never seemed comfortable to Toshinori.

It was easy to notice how different All For One was as well. He no longer held a smug smile. Instead, his face was serious, but strangely open. Like he was ready to have this conversation. "All Might. I would say it'd been a while, but that would be lying." Was that a try for a joke?

"You already gave out the information you promised to, right?" Toshinori mentally checked off one topic from his list.

The villain laughed genuinely. "Even after all of this, you don't trust me? Yes, I did. I told them the location of my 'plan B' so to speak." The air between them was light.

"So, you'll be rotting in here for the rest of your days?" Toshinori knew the villain wouldn't do much rotting, considering his aging quirk.

"It's not so bad in here. Sure, the meals are dirt compared to your glorious boxed broths, but the neighbors are nice."

It was definitely a joke. Toshinori found himself chucking, despite himself. He let the tension ease from his shoulders and started again. "I understand you." He stated simply.  
"Well, not fully. But I understand the way you view things. It makes it easier to be near you. It's also easier when you're not being a piece of sh-"

"Now, All Might. I thought you lost that little habit."

"I think there are worse habits." Toshinori smiled. He still had at least one bruise from the terrible pinches the other man gave him. He couldn't imagine how bad it wouldn've been had they stayed together for an entire two weeks.

"We likely won't see each other again. Anything you'd like to say before we part?" He said it in a teasing way, but there was no mocking.

"How..." Tosninori wanted to know more about this man and his mysteries. Not only for the benefit of Izuku, but for himself as well. Who was he before he became corrupt by his own quirk? What would he be like if quirks never existed?

"I would've thought that confession love is easy for such a mighty hero."

Toshinori looked up at the villain before he understood the implication. "I'm sorry, but you're not my type. I'd prefer someone with a shorter criminal history, personally."

All For One laughed, loud and full. "It's a shame. I'm about as good as you'll get." The villain then sighed, letting the joke fall away. "Out of every holder, you've always confused me. Everyone else ran while you took the fight to me. You have a grit about you that I haven't quite seen before. I mean, who else would think they still had a chance after most of their internals have fallen out?"

Toshinori wasn't sure what this was, but it didn't quite feel right. "All For One...I don't know what to think. I've rightfully hated you for nearly all of my life, and don't get me wrong. I still do dislike you to some extent, but...It doesn't control me anymore. I'm not thinking about it every second of my life. I'm not mourning everyone you've murdered simply because you could. I...I think that I'm healing? After so many years, not hating you feels alien."

All For One's face turned in a strange way before he smiled. "I find myself feeling the same. You've ruined everything I've done for centuries, but now...it doesn't really matter as much."

"Your time is up" the voice spoke over the intercom. Toshinori stood up and pushed his chair in.

"Good bye, All For One. I don't want to see you again." Even if they were on better terms, getting too close to the man was dangerous. Three days of it had proven that much.

"The same to you, All Might."

Toshinori pondered on their conversation as he checked out of Tartarus. Was it bad to not hate him like he had? Was it a sign of weakness or was it good? He wasn't sure.

By the time he'd arrived back to UA, more than ready to move into the teacher dorms that Nezu had arranged, the retired hero was laughing. With his head held high, Toshinori walked across the green fields, watching Izuku and a few of his classmates talk. His focus was on teaching Izuku to become the next symbol. To become better than All Might had ever been and if that meant keeping his successor from following his goal of revenge, then he would make sure it happened. No matter who you are or how you live, revenge never led to happiness.


End file.
